Food is a dangerous subject. People are feisty about what they do and do not eat, from a myriad of emotions... some of which we understand and others we do not. We believe that some choices will negatively impact our health, or the well being of others. 

 

For this reason I will speak in the abstract when I say that the twins and I have made a shift. We no longer chose from a particular food group. This was sparked by a documentary we watched on a lazy afternoon last summer, and has impacted the three of us with sudden resolve. 

 

Having each other to ricochet encouragement, and surprise, as well as slip ups has been instrumental in our success. What I didn't expect, was that four months into the experiment, it is easy. I have become more adventurous at the stove, and together we have enjoyed new dishes for dinner. Even the absence of some of our favorites has lost any pull. When Ben goes with me to the store he jogs to plop them in the cart. But if I am alone during the morning, they do not tempt me.

 

Each of us consume things every day. Whether it is the news on the radio, or the conversations we engage in, or the thoughts that take up residence in our minds, we churn through a lot of mental food. Sometimes we are given an opportunity to switch between one flavor and another, while other days we are barraged without reprieve. It can be slippery to discern which we have control over, and which are inevitable. Recently I watched a movie that was at first exciting, but gradually became increasingly violent, pulling me into a vortex of intense cruelty and despair. It spiked my adrenaline, and shaved a couple of hours off my sleep while I replayed horribleness in my mind. I very much wish I had not ingested those images. 

 

But lest this subject become too fraught with shoulds and shouldn'ts I will leave you with a joke. 

 

A man whose wife was increasingly concerned about his diet, kept narrowing his options. High fat, carbs, additives, sugar, gluten, oils, dairy, and preservatives all dropped out of favor. He lived on a bland rotation of meals into his hundredth year. Then he died. When he arrived in heaven he asked about the cuisine. 

 

"Can I eat ice cream?"

 

"Yes!"

 

"Cookies?"

 

"All kinds!"

 

"Bread?"

 

"Absolutely!"

 

"And to think that if I hadn't listened to my wife I would have been here a long time ago."